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The party has spent most of the day dealing with various city officials, trying to get someone to hear their case and alert the queen to the danger in the north. Thordek seeks out the Embassy and meets with the Dwarven diplomat. Perhaps his kin have some sway here.
He is welcomed as a brother, and they spend some time talking about smithing and mining. At length, the Dwarf lowers his voice, “So brother, any news?”

Thordek realizes that the he must be talking about the coming invasion the dwarves have been planning.

He answers, “Unfortunately, I seem to be the only one who doesn’t know about this.”

“So no news?”

“No news”, Thordek informs him.

He is exasperated, “I thought for sure, with the war! It seemed like the ideal time to strike. Her forces were to the north, fighting the Lormanites. It was the time to make our move. Why did we not act?”

Thordek concludes there is no help to be had here, and returns to the inn, where he finds a detachment of soldiers and a robed man in the lobby, waiting to speak to the party. Once they are all assembled, the robed man introduces himself as General Tarvin, one of only a a small handful of people who get direct orders from the queen.

The party is encouraged that they are finally getting to talk to someone of importance. They had given up at the public affairs office for the day, concluding the entire matter to be a dead end and a waste of time. They were at a loss as to how to proceed from here, and now one of her generals has come to see them.

The General is a severe human with long dark hair, a deeply creased face, and an aloof manner. He is dressed in red robes and carries a long staff.

He is secretive. He speaks of their business in roundabout ways, as if he expects the lobby of the inn to be packed with spies. He insists he must speak to the party soon, and asks them to meet him on the south end of town in an hour.

They are perplexed by this. Doesn’t this general have some sort of office or headquarters at the city center? Why meet on the ragged edge of town? Why meet at night? Thu’fir asks about this.

Tarvin assures him, “All will become clear when we meet there.”

The party discusses this and, with some hesitation, agrees to meet with the general.

I know it’s pointless to say so now that the rest of the story is up, but I have to express my immediate reaction to this bizarre request: General Tarvin is involved with The Children of the Citadel. It’s the only reaonable explanation.